Naval forces from Indonesia and Russia commenced their inaugural joint military training exercises in the Java Sea on Monday, according to the Indonesian navy. Analysts interpret this development as a reflection of Indonesia’s openness to establishing relationships with various nations.

This collaborative effort aligns with the recent commitment made by Indonesia’s newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto to strengthen defense ties with Russia, as part of his broader strategy to engage with multiple countries while adhering to Indonesia’s longstanding non-alignment foreign policy.

The exercises are scheduled to occur in the Java Sea, close to Surabaya, east of Jakarta, from November 4 to 8, following the arrival of four Russian warships on Sunday, as reported by navy spokesperson I Made Wira Hady Arsanta Wardhana. “These joint drills represent the realization of an international partnership between the Indonesian and Russian navies, which has consistently been positive,” Wardhana stated, without disclosing additional specifics regarding the nature of the exercises.

A representative from the Russian delegation stated that the purpose of the exercise was to facilitate knowledge exchange between the two navies. The Russian embassy in Jakarta has not yet responded to a request for comment. Sergey Tolchenov, Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia, mentioned in a recent interview with the Russian state news agency TASS that these drills represent the “first large-scale naval exercises between Russia and Indonesia.”

Analysts suggest that these exercises indicate Indonesia’s increasing openness to forming relationships with various nations. “This could imply that Indonesia is eager to collaborate with everyone,” noted Yohanes Sulaiman, a professor of international relations. He also pointed out that there are still uncertainties regarding Prabowo’s overarching foreign policy strategy, suggesting that the drills might serve as a demonstration of Russia’s continued alliances. Prabowo referred to Russia as his “great friend” during his visit to Moscow in July.

Indonesia has conducted military exercises in collaboration with various nations. Since 2006, it has organized the annual “Super Garuda Shield” drills alongside the United States, with the 2024 iteration involving more than 4,500 personnel and spanning a duration of two weeks.